BRITISH POLITICS

Southland Times, Issue 17533, 9 June 1915, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

NATIONAL. MINISTRY WELCOMED. DISPOSITION OF THE COMMONS. ATTACKS ON LORD KITCHENER. AS AN AID TO RECRUITING. THE MINISTRY OF MUNITIONS BILL. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, June S. Received June S. 5.15 p.m. In the House of Commons a full House warmly welcomed the National Ministry. Mr Balfour and Mr Lloyd George were absent. The front Opposition bench had few claimants. The Radicals invades the Opposition benches below the gangway. The Labourites stuck to their old quarters on the Ministerial side, ano similarly the Independent-Radicals are now reinforced by both. In reply to a question the Rt. Hon 11. J, Tennant (Under-Secretary for War) said that recent newspaper attacks on Lord Kitchener had appreciably stimulated recruiting. Mr Asquith stated that Lord Kitchener’s last appeal had met with a most satisfactory response. Alluding to Italy’s intervention he said they regarded her as one of the custodians of the freedom of Europe and welcomed her gallant sailors and soldiers as comrades in a struggle on which the liberty of the world depended. Sir John Simon (Home Secretary) in moving the second reading of Munitions Bill said that the new Minister would have to concern himself with industrial co-ordination in a wide field. Some of the Labourites and Radicals took exception to the Minister’s unlimited powers and pointed out that the Minister could socialize the coal supplies. He was practically a dictator. They warned the Government that any attempt at conscription of labour would lead to strenuous opposition. Sir John Simon in reply said that there was not the slightest intention to so use the Bill.